Roller type support for the tumbling drum of a clothes-washing machine



Feb. 13, 1951 J. H. LEEF 2,541,165

ROLLER TYPE SUPPORT FOR THE TUMBLING DRUM OF A CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1949 fave/2222 wi/zzz 15? Lee) fly w Afiw V Patented Feb. 13, 1951 ROLLER TYPE SUPPORT FOR THE TUM- BLING DRUM OF A CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE John H. Leef, Minneapolis, Minn.

Application April 9, 1949, Serial No. 86,479

1 Claim.

My present invention relates to improvements in rotary drum-type laundry machines and, more particularly, to improved adjustable bearing means for laundry machines of the type wherein the perforate drum is mounted and driven only from its rear end.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of novel and inexpensive means for rotatively supporting the front end of the rotary drum of said machine to relieve the strain on the bearings at the rear end and thereby increase the efiiciency and wearing qualities of the machine.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means which may be readily incorporated in machines of the conventional type without any particular redesigning, which is capable of adjustment by even an unskilled operator, and which is durable in construction.

The above and still further objects of my invention will become apparent from the following retailed specification, appended claim, and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout their several views:

Fig. l is a front elevation of a washing machine incorporating a front end-supporting bearing according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, some of the parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my novel bearing bracket and bearing roller; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, some parts being broken away.

Referring with greater particularity to the drawings, the stationary outer casing of the machine, indicated in its entirety by the numeral I,

is shown as having front and rear walls 2 and 3- respectively, and a connecting cylindrical portion 4. The front wall 2 is provided with a circular opening 5 over which is secured, by means of nut-equipped bolts 6, an annular cover plate '5. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the opening 5 is of less diameter than that of the cylindrical portion 4. Front and rear plates 2 and 3 and the cylindrical portion 4 are secured by any suitable means, such as the bolts 6 or by welding, to form an integral structure.

Disposed within the casing l on a horizontal axis is a drum 8 having perforations 9 on the periphery thereof. The rear end wall of the drum 8, identified by the numeral H1, is provided with and bearings I l.

a centrally located reinforcing plate H" which secured thereto by means of rivets or the like t2. Projecting outwardly from the ptate i i and? axially with respect to the drum 8 is a suitable shaft I 3 which is journalled in spaced anti-friction bearings i4 secured to a bracket; iiion the rear wall 3. The shaft 13 and the drum, 8 are adapted to be rotated by means of cooperating pulley Iii and belts i! and a motor pulley [8 fast on the shaft of a drivizr motor 19 suitably secured to.

the upper portion of the casing A sleeve 21.? projects axially outwardly from the front wall 2! of the drum 3 through the central opening 22 of the annular plate 1. The sleeve 2% is concentric with the drum 8 and shaft l3 and provides an opening for loading and unloading of the drum 8. Opening 22 in the cover plate I is normally closed by a door 23 hinged to the outer surface of the plate I at 24. Preferably, and as shown, this door comprises a radially annular flange 25, a sleeve-like flange 26 that extends inwardly into the sleeve 253 of the drum 8, and an end wall 21. Door 23 is held closed bymeans of a latch 28 (see particularly Fig. l).

The annular cover plate I is provided with circular opening 29 which is normally covered.

by a plate-like bearing bracket 3%. Bracket 39 is: provided with a plurality of elongated holes orslots 3! through which project washer equippecl cap screws or the like 32 that are screw-threaded into the annular plate l radially outwardly of the opening 29. A boss 33 projects laterally inwardly through opening 29 and has fastened thereto a head stub shaft 34 on which is journalled a wheel or roller 35. It will be seen, by reference to Figs. 1 and 2, that the axis of rotation of roller 35 is parallel to and directly below the axis of rotary drum 8. In other words, the axis of roller 35 lies in a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the axis of perforate drum 8. Bracket 30 may be moved vertically with respect to cover plate i to bring the periphery of roller 35 into supporting engagement with the sleeve 25 The slots 3! in the bearing 7 bracket 30 permit the bracket 3i? to be moved vertically so that the front end of rotary drum 8 is supported in the exact desired position, whereby to remove any undue train on the shaft 13 Roller 35 is preferably made from rubber and is provided with a metallic bushing or bearing 36 to permit smooth running engagement with the shaft 34. A gasket 31 prevents leakage of water from the interior of the casing I; and a valve-equipped drain pipe 38 is secured in a conventional manner to the bottom,

To replace a roller 35, it is but necessary to re-, move the screws 32. The bracket 39 may be then.

disengaged from the annular wall 7, the roller 35 passing through the opening 28. When a new roller 35 has been installed on the bracket 30,

the reverse procedure is followed. A recess or notch as is provided in bracket 3il'for insertion thereinto of the end of a bar or the like to aid in raising the bracket to a desiredposition and holding the same until screws 32 are sufficiently tightened to properly support the roller 35 and drum 8.

While I have describeda preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the same is capable of modification without departure from the scope and spirit of the inventon as defined in the claim.

What I claim is:

In adevice of the class described, a perforate.

tumbling drum disposed on a horizontal axis, a concentric I fluid-receiving casing enclosing said tumbling drum, means journalling the rear end of said tumbling drum to an adjacent end of said casing, axially-aligned openings in the front end of said tumbling drum and said casing, a sleeve surrounding the opening in said tumbling drum and projecting through the aligned opening in said casing, the front end of said casing having a second opening below said sleeve, a vertically adjustable bearing bracket secured to the exterior of the front end of said casing and coveringsaid second opening,a bearing boss secured to said bearing bracket and projecting laterally inwardly through said second opening, and a roller journalled to the inner end of said boss for rotation on anaxis parallel to the axis of said drum, the axis of said roller being in a vertical plane extending longitudinally through the axis of said tumbling drum, said roller engaging and supporting said sleeve, said second opening havinga width greater than the diameter of said roller whereby to permit passage of said roller through said second opening.

JOHN H. LEEF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name is Date 2,118,582 Zimarik May 24, 1938 2,289,162 Amonsen July-7, 1942' 

